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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · squash · mug · rock · wake · fine · swing · plane

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rock — music
  10. mug — a cup
  11. squash — to crush
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fine — all right
  14. squash — the sport
  15. swing — to play on
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wake — a trail
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mug — a face
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com